Pessaries for prolapse alleviation
Disclosed are devices for supporting a prolapsed organ. An exemplary device comprises a ring-like body optionally having a naturally occurring substantially flat and substantially planar compact configuration, the ring-like body configured with a size suitable for insertion into a vagina and to be expanded by a support element such that in the expanded configuration an outer periphery of the ring-like body contacts a portion of the vagina and stretches at least a portion of a prolapsed vaginal wall, thereby substantially alleviating prolapse of at least one pelvic organ. The device optionally includes a support element comprising two moveably connected arms configured to support the ring in the expanded configuration.
1. A vaginal pessary sized and shaped for alleviating organ prolapse, comprising:
(a) a space filling body extending in at least two orthogonal directions not along the vaginal axis including at least two rib sections adapted to, at least in one state, extend along a vaginal axis and apply force to facing vaginal walls along axial extents thereof, wherein said body is adapted to be in at least two states:
(i) a compressed state in which said body is sized for insertion into said vagina; and
(ii) an expanded state in which said body is sized and stiff enough for providing organ prolapse alleviation and in which state said ribs extend along a vaginal axis and apply force to facing vaginal walls; and
(b) a locking, two-stepped, state changing mechanism integral to said pessary and configured to change a configuration of said body from one state to the other state, which mechanism does not use fluid flow to cause state change and wherein the state changing mechanism comprises a lock element on an outside tube and two or more elastic protrusions on an inside telescoping element pre-configured to move into said lock element to establish a locked condition when the inside telescoping element is advanced sufficiently inside the outside tube;
wherein said pessary is stable in shape and size in both states.
2. A pessary according to claim 1 , wherein said body in said expanded state alleviates organ prolapse by directly supporting a prolapsed organ.
3. A pessary according to claim 1 , wherein said body is substantially rigid in said expanded state.
4. A pessary according to claim 1 , wherein said state changing mechanism locks said pessary in at least one of said two states.
5. A pessary according to claim 1 , wherein said body comprises a plurality of orthogonal planar shapes.
6. A pessary according to claim 5 , wherein said plurality of orthogonal planar shapes change state together by way of a single state changing mechanism.
7. A pessary according to claim 1 , wherein said state changing mechanism is at least mostly enclosed by said body.
8. A pessary according to claim 1 , wherein the body is comprised of a plurality of arc sections which define a generally spherical, rectangular or ovoid shape when in the expanded state.
9. A pessary according to claim 1 , wherein the body is configured with multiple intersecting rings.
10. A pessary according to claim 9 , wherein the intersecting rings are not the same diameter.
11. A pessary according to claim 1 , further comprising a cover substantially covering the body.
12. A pessary according to claim 11 , wherein the cover includes a membrane between at least some of the rib sections.
13. A pessary according to claim 1 , wherein the body allows flow of vaginal secretions therepast.
14. A pessary according to claim 1 , comprising a control coupled to the state-changing element and configured to activate a state change when said control is pulled when inside a body.
15. A pessary according to claim 1 , wherein the pessary is functionally rotationally symmetric around the vaginal axis.
16. A pessary according to claim 1 , mounted on an applicator.
17. A pessary according to claim 1 , wherein the rib sections are odd in number.
18. A pessary system comprising:
(a) a shape changing pessary according to claim 1 adapted to alleviate organ prolapse when deployed in a vagina; and
(b) an applicator adapted for holding the pessary while in a form suitable for insertion into a vagina.
19. A pessary system according to claim 18 , wherein the applicator is configured to actively change a shape of the pessary after insertion thereof into a vagina.